Why is Game of Thrones So Awesome?

            It was inevitable I write another post about Game of Thrones/Song of Fire and Ice. Why? Because it is just so awesome! I resisted the GoT movement for a while until I gave the sample read a try and was immediately hooked. Now I’m like a junkie waiting for my next ebook or HBO fix!

Or read one book of the series either!

            I like to read with an eye toward what makes a book good (or not so much). So I’ve been thinking a lot about why Game of Thrones is so successful. It has far too many characters and plenty of foreign language bits – these are both no-nos according to typical novel-writing wisdom, but GoT fans would say they only add to the awesomeness. After all, this imaginary world is enriched by so many diverse, well-drawn characters, each with their own complex motivations and relationships to the other characters.

            What Game of Thrones does really well is the unexpected. Again, typical story-telling wisdom fails here, which says that good will prevail and your favorite characters will dodge adversity time and again. This is not always the case in the world of Westeros (I’m trying really hard to be spoiler-free here, but readers/watchers know what I’m talking about. Just keep it out of the comments for those who haven’t read it yet, please.). The story always keeps you guessing!

            If you haven’t checked it out, pick up a book or turn on HBO!

Jumping on the Book Bandwagon

I’ve often picked up a book because a friend recommended it. Strangely, I’m sometimes obstinately opposed to reading books that everyone recommends. I think of it as the book bandwagon. OMG you have to read it! It’s the best book ever written in the history of the universe!!! Their over-the-top praise and extra exclamation marks do not move me. Yet occasionally I’ll change my mind and join the bandwagon-book-reading masses. A firm recommendation from a friend usually does it, but then there are those other times when I just have to see what all the fuss is about. This has happened to me twice recently with different outcomes.

The first one of the bandwagon books I tried was – say it with me because you know what’s coming, right? – 50 Shades of Grey. Let’s be clear: I don’t have any problem with erotica. In fact, I used to review erotica novels for RT Book Reviews. But I admit, I didn’t finish it. I found the characters in 50 Shades kind of irritating and the writing only okay…ish… – just my opinion. On the other hand, I know there are plenty of people who swear it is a fabulous book series and love, love, love it. I gotta ask though, is this the first erotica novel they picked up? Try the erotica by Bertrice Small, Sasha White, or the Sleeping Beauty series by Anne Rice instead.

The second time I’ve jumped on the book bandwagon recently has been for Game of Thrones. So many people have recommended this to me, yet I resisted. Huge, sweeping fantasy epics aren’t usually my favorites. I think it was the guy at my eye doc’s office who changed my mind. He was talking about how much he loved the HBO series, and when I made a reference to the book series, he looked surprised. He had no idea it was a book first. That told me one thing – it must be a fabulous story, because here was this guy who thought it was so awesome he was actually now considering picking up the book, even though he admitted he hadn't read a book in years (and isn’t that a sad state of affairs?). So I’m mid-way through book one, and I agree – the story is fantastic. I’m sure I’ll read them all, now that I’m an epic fantasy convert. I have since seen the first episode of the TV series and it looks great too, but I don’t want to get ahead of the books, so I’ll wait on the rest of it for now.

What’s your take on 50 Shades and Thrones? Have any new book recommendations for me?